—Newport Beach, California
We love convertibles, as our readers probably already know. So when Lexus asked us to take the new IS C for a spin, we happily obliged. The motto for the drop-top version of the IS is “Live a little, a lot.” With this in mind, and with sunscreen at hand, we headed to the Southern California coast for some top-down driving.
Approaching the IS350C, we took in its profile—attractive and clean, almost wedge-like, slender in the front, thickening to a chunky rear end, the cockpit protruding sleek and smooth in line with the rest of the body. There is considerably more metal rising over the rear wheels than the front, the result of a trunk space large enough to accommodate the folding top, which, while up, is perfectly aligned on top of the car. The paint job pops out bright and cool, and the optional F Sport wheels and brakes improve the athletic look.

The long doors swing open widely, offering easy access to IS C’s inviting interior. The leather seats are soft, but form-fitting and supportive, and, in the two-tone models, dramatically complement the paint job of the vehicle with matching hues. The plastics and wood look and feel to be of decent quality. The layout of the instruments and buttons is simple and streamlined, befitting our impressions of the IS C so far. Headroom is limited, so we’re eager start the car and drop the top.
(Please keep reading after the jump.)